Marceline's Beginning
by RainbowOfNight
Summary: Before Marceline was a vampire, before she ever met Finn and Jake, she was just a little girl, living in the rubble of the end of the world. This is her story, and her beginning. Rated T for possible later chapters.


**My first story for Adventure time. I love Marcelines story, and it's just so sad, especially in the beginning. I watched her backstory episode yesterday and this came into my mind.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Adventure Time.**

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><p>"Daddy, I want another apple," Marceline said, swinging her short legs from side to side in the open air from the top of the bar stool.<p>

The leather of the seat was cracked, and it squeaked loudly when she turned it to spin herself around. She giggled at the sensation, watching the scenery of the dusty and abandoned bar and it''s broken windows pass her by, and then her fathers face, pale and smiling, with tinted sunglasses pulled over his eyes.

I'm afraid there's no more my dear. You'll have to wait until we stop by the supermarket later on."

"Aw," Marcelinesighed, but soon smiled as she remembered how much she loved visiting the supermarket. Running down the aisles and having a race as they both searched for thequickest way to the exit thrilled her.

She felther father ruffle her dark hair, already messed and windblown from the storm that had raged outside earlier and made the sky roar with thunder. Now the sky had cleared, and the roads were dotted with shallow puddles. She laughed, and pushed her fathers and away.

The bar was a cold place, the chill seeping in through the two broken windows in the front of the building. Glass shards still littered the floor in some places. It was not the only place that had been abandoned on the street. Daddy had told her about the war, and how most of the people had to go away or disappeared. They left all of their house and stores behind, and Marceline enjoyed exploring them, picking up things like pictures or dolls and wondering who their owners had been, and if they thought about what had become of their belongings after they left.

"Are you ready, Marceline?" Her father touched her hand tentatively, and she nodded and jumped off the bar stool. Rushing out into the street, she barely took notice of the rubble and trash that littered it, dodging the stray cardboard boxes and drink cans as if they were an obstacle course. She laughed, and looked back at her father, walking slowly behind her, his black hair and clothes out of place in the now shining sun. She waited for him to catch up, and noticed the troubled expression on his face, the pensive frown frozen on his face.

"What's the matter?" She asked, and he didn't even smile when he stared down at his daughter. He looked trapped, like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. It worried Marcelline. It was rare that he retreated into himself like this.

She could see the supermarket in the distance, an enormous building of faded brick, with unused cars wasting away in the parking lot. It was still reasonably intact, mostly because a man had taken on the duty of caring for it. He knew a lot about wiring and architecture, so whenever something minor broke, he was right on it with his toolkit. He even managed to restart the fusebox, and the store had functioning lights and freezers. Marcelline enjoyed seeing him, and him her. He was always ready when she came to visit with a wide smile and a pack of bubblegum, which she chewed while she raced with her father down the aisles of colourful cans and bags. His name was Arnold. Food was plentiful due to the sparse population, and Arnold always gave supplied free to whoever came asking.

Marceline thought of him now, and wondered when they would get going again. She hated seeing her father like this, and she wished he would magically banish whatever was bothering him. She wanted him to smile and tell her how they were going to buy all of her favorite foods, and that she would get another apple, golden, her favorite kind.

"Marceline, we need to talk." He said it so softly she barely heard it, but she did.

"Okay." She followed him to an old wooden bench, the handles rotted away, and hesitantly sat down next to him, smoothing the skirt of her dress over her stockings. Hair had caught itself in between her lips, and she pulled it out and pushed the entire wild mess behind her ears.

Her father laid a hand on her shoulder. "I should have done this sooner," he admitted. "Daughter, it is not safe for you with me, not anymore."

Marceline bit her lip, confused. "But I always feel safe with you."

He sighed wearily. "I'm glad for that. But that's not the issue here. I've made an enemy of someone very dangerous. Do you known who the Lich is?"

She said no.

"Good." She didn't think she'd ever heard him sound more relieved. "Then it's not too late. I need you to promise me something. If you ever hear that name again, I want you to turn and run away from whoever has mentioned it. Don't ask questions, don't give your name or where you live. Be very careful who you associate with, Marceline."

"What are you saying?" Marceline asked. He was starting to scare her. His hand had fallen away from her shoulder a while ago. "Why does it sound like you're leaving?"

"I have to." His smile returned, but it was a sad one. And a final one. "You'll be fine, I have a friend called Simon who's going to help you. I promise I'll be back someday. I just have to fix things first."

"But I don't understand!" She cried. "Who's the Lich, and what-"

He silenced her with a hand over her mouth. "Don't," he said. "It's not safe to say his name."

She watched hopelessly as her father rose and stood for a minute, composing himself. He picked her up in his arms, holding her close, and tears were leaking from her eyes like little waterfalls as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a desperate embrace. Her vision was blurring, black closing like reaching shadows, and the noise of the world was fading.

"Go find Simon." The words echoed in her ears, through her whole body like a vibration. Her senses left her, her body went limp, and she slept a dreamless sleep.

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><p><strong>I could leave this as a one-shot, or I could continue it into a full length story, if you guys want. Review either way, if you want. :) Criticism is cool, if you find the need for it.<strong>


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